Centrifugal tester



(No Model.)

H. B. WEIPER. GENTRIFUGAL TESTER.

No. 566,257. Patented Aug. 18, 1896.

PATENT FFICE.

HENRY B. IVEIPER, OF DURAND, WVISCONSIN.

CENTRIFUGAL TESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,257, dated August 18, 1896. Application filed February 6, 1894. Serial No. 499,294. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY BERNHARD WVEIPER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Durand, in the county of Pepin and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Centrifuges; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others to use the same for the purpose for which it is designed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in centrifugal machines.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved hand centrifugal machine exceedingly simple, economical, and effective in construction and composed of a minimum number of. parts, and particularly adapted for the use of physicians, and which can be easily operated by hand to attain a high rate of speed without requiring constant attention and manipulation and without the employment of gearing or power-driving means or pulleys.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in combinations of parts more fully described hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the centrifugal machine without the driving means. Fig. 2 is a vertical section, a testing-tube being shown in dotted lines in the vessel. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective of the vessel-cover. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the shaft and the peculiar rotating means.

In the drawings, f is a suitable base arranged to rest on a table or suitable support and having holes to receive fastening means. The center plate or portion of the base is provided with the depressed socket d in its upper side, preferably cylindrical in cross-section and forming a step or bearing.

The arm f extends upwardly from one side of the base and is preferably formed integral therewith, and at a distance above the base extends over the same and is provided with the vertical bearing or opening f directly over the step or bearing 0?.

G is the vertical shaft, having the reduced and pointed lower journal cl in said bearing 02 and turning on the flodr thereof. The journal is less in diameter than the bearing-socket, so that a cup or receptacle is formed around the same. The journal is of such length that the enlarged portion of the shaft preferably begins at or about the upper surface of the base.

The upper end of the shaft has the reduced end e ext-ending through the above and fitting loosely in the upper bearing, so that the shoulder in the shaft is arranged directly beneath the arm f and will prevent the lower end of the shaft escaping from the step.

The enlarged central portion of the shaft between the bearing is formed with flat faces or angular in cross-section, such as octagonal or the like, for purposes hereinafter set forth. However, I do not wish to limit myself to forming the shaft with flat faces, as the shaft can be left round where of sufficient size.

A is the bowl or vessel having a socket e atits lower end, in which the upper end of the shaft is secured. This bowl has an open top, the neck of which has an internal pin or projection I). The cover I) for said opening has the depending flange to fit within said neck, and the flange has an angular slot 19 for said pin, thereby forminga bayonet-joint to retain the cover. However, I do not limit myself to such constructions, as any desired cover or fastening can be employed if desired. The lower portion of the vessel or bowl is bulged outwardly, and from thence the bowl is gradually contracted upwardly to the top neck. Advantages and new results are attained by this peculiar shape, as hereinafter specified.

Test-tube supports or sockets a can be arranged in the lower side of the enlarged portion of the bowl to removably receive one or more test-tubes. These supports preferably extend inwardly and upwardly from the lower side of the bulge of the bowl, so that a testtube a will assume the position shown in Fig. 2. Thus when the bowl is rotating at a high rate of speed the water or other fluid that may be therein will be forced into the bulge, say to the position shown by the line a and will surround the part of the testtube containing the liquid to be tested, yet

cannot enter the upper open end of the testtube projecting outside of and above the bulge.

h is a belt of suitable length, and in operating the machine the operator, standing in front of the machine, takes the belt, an end in each hand, and passes the right-hand end around the enlarged part of the shaft between the bearings from right to left. Then pulling on the belt steadily and forcibly with the right hand, while the left hand keeps the belt in a state of tension, will set the machine in rotation. Then suddenly release the belt, so that it loosely surrounds the shaft, which will then continue rapidly rotating. The operator can then carry the belt back to its original position, and the operation of holding with the left "and pulling suddenly with the right is repeated to impart an additional impetus to the device. These movements are repeated with increased rapidity in pulling until the machine is worked up to the desired speed. By reason of this peculiar device a small centrifugal machine for office use can be rotated by hand at any speed from one to four thousand revolutions per minute, and at the same time most easily and with slight exertion, and continuously any length of time and with the employment of most simple and cheap mechanism. Furthermore, the device does not require constant attention when in operation, for, by reason of the peculiar simple construction and operating means, friction is reduced to a minimum, and the machine will run for fifteen or twenty minutes after the belt has been operated. Hence the operator when testing a fluid or compound has merely to give the belt a sharp pull every ten to twenty minutes and then give his attention to something else and the machine will operate continuously.

In testing certain liquids or compounds great advantages are attained by the presence of heat, and hence I can employ heated water at a high temperature in my device by geason of the peculiar construction of the owl.

The many advantages and great utility of such a simple article as this are obvious, and the invention fills a long felt want with physicians and others, as is well understood by those versed in the art.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The testing-centrifuge comprising the base having the socket in its top surface and an upwardly-extending support having the vertical opening over said socket, the vertical shaft 0, having the reduced lower end smaller than, and in, said socket, and passing through said opening, the bowl fitted on the upper reduced end of said shaft, said bowl bulged out annularly at its base below the contracted neck and opening, the upwardly and inwardly inclined holders in said bulge as and for the purpose described, aportion of the shaft adapted to have the belt length wrapped around the same with its free ends grasped by the hands of the operator'to rotate the shaft in the manner described.

2. In a centrifuge, the combination of a support, a vertical shaft having bearings in the support, and an angular or octagonal shaped surface between the bearings, a carrier moving with the shaft, and a short belt length wrapped around the shaft at said surface with its ends free so that they can be grasped by the hands of the operator and manipulated as described to continuously rotate the shaft in one direction substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a support, a vertical shaft journaled therein and provided with a carrier moving therewith, and the short belt length wrapped around said shaft between its ends with its ends free, whereby the free ends may be grasped by the hands of the operator and operated in the manner described to continuously rotate the shaft in one direction.

HENRY l3. WVEIPER.

Witnesses:

MAUDE SMITH, F. J. GOBAR. 

